Death of Instagram star Peanut the squirrel inspires legislation in New York

By Katie Houlis

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    New York (WCBS/WLNY) — The death of the Instagram-famous pet “Peanut the Squirrel” last year is inspiring new legislation in New York.

A new bill called “Peanut’s Law” would require a 72-hour waiting period before animals from animal sanctuaries are euthanized.

It would also give animal owners the chance for an administrative hearing before a pet is seized by the state.

Peanut the squirrel euthanized after being seized from N.Y. home

Mark Longo, who lives on a farm in Pine City near the Pennsylvania border, took a squirrel in after seeing its mother get hit by a car in New York City. He named the squirrel Peanut and started an Instagram account for him, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers over the course of seven years.

In late October 2024, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation went to Longo’s home and seized Peanut and a raccoon after the agency said it received complaints that wildlife was being kept there illegally.

Peanut bit a DEC worker involved in the investigation, the agency said, so he had to be euthanized in order to test for rabies. The raccoon was also euthanized and tested. Results for both animals came back negative.

State wildlife officials say it is illegal to own a wild animal unless it’s registered to be an educational animal and the owner is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Longo said he was in the process of getting proper paperwork at the time Peanut was seized.

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